No differences between Nitin Gadkari and Narendra Modi: BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP today tried to downplay reports that party president Nitin Gadkari and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi were hardly on talking terms, saying there were no differences between them and the organisation was functioning smoothly.

Gadkari has reportedly said in an interview that there is a problem between him and Modi and till their chance meeting at a wedding, they had not talked to each other for several months.

The party, however, tried to make light of the comments.

"Differences is not the right word. There are absolutely no differences. Other than what Mr Gadkari has already said on this issue, I do not want to add anything. The party is functioning normally and we are going from strength to strength," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

She asked the media not to "create" differences where none existed.

The BJP leader maintained that party strategies on how to win elections and what should be done for it cannot be discussed in the media.

"How party will win the elections? What it will do to win are issues which cannot be discussed in the media so we will answer such questions at the proper time," she said.

On the issue of who will be BJP's next president and whether Gadkari will be given another term, Sitharaman said such matters are not on the table for the party at the moment.

"Party is today running as a very successful alternative to the Congress. It has seen the MCD elections coming through with a very clear mandate. We are concentrating on these issues. Today is not the time to discuss who the future president will be," she said.